iPhone 16 Rumors: Major Upgrades and Market Expectations

These are the 6 biggest upgrades coming to the iPhone 16, according to new rumors

To illustrate this prediction, Gurman has highlighted what he considers to be the six main upgrades that are apparently coming to the iPhone 16 line. You'll find all six rumored upgrades below, along with our thoughts (and Gurman's) on whether they're significant or not. One leak we've heard numerous times (and that Gurman also highlights) is that all four iPhone 16 models will apparently have an Action button. This would be a customizable hardware key, though it's not actually a new feature, since the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max already have an Action button. Instead, this would just be the first time the standard and Plus models get one. Gurman notes, however, that Apple is adding more customization options to the lock screen and Control Center with iOS 18, which could render the Action button less useful, since you'll already be able to add various shortcuts to the phone. This is a fair point, but having shortcuts on a physical button is still arguably faster and better than having them on the lock screen or Control Center. The bigger issue could simply be that, among Apple's most popular phones (read: the Pro models), the Action button won't be a new feature. Another widely rumored iPhone 16 upgrade is the Capture button, which would be something truly new, as no current iPhone models have one. Gurman reiterates a previous leak in saying that this Capture button will function like a button on a DSLR camera, with a light press activating the autofocus and a harder press taking a picture. Meanwhile, swiping across the button would let you zoom in and out. The Capture button would allow you to control the video camera too, according to Gurman. Interestingly, though, Gurman suggests the Capture button might only be included on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, while many previous leaks suggested it would come to all four models. We're not sure who's right here, but this will probably be a reasonably big upgrade for whatever phones do get it. How interesting it really is, though, will depend on how passionate you are about photography. We've also repeatedly heard that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 6.3-inch screen (up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro), while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch display (up from 6.7 inches on the previous model). This should make for a noticeable increase that's handy if you want to watch videos on your phone or do other things where a larger screen is desirable, but it will be less useful if you want a high-end phone that's not also massive. Apple Intelligence is the name of Apple's upcoming set of AI features, and this isn't exclusive to the iPhone 16 line, as it will also work on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Despite that - and despite the fact that Apple Intelligence probably won't arrive until after the iPhone 16 series launches - this is likely to be one of the main selling points of the new phones. Gurman, though, is skeptical about how interesting the initial Apple Intelligence features will be, and argues that, alone, they probably won't be a reason to upgrade. As ever, there are sure to be some new iPhone colors this year, with Gurman noting that the iPhone 15 Pro's blue shade will be replaced with a rose gold option this year. That's something we've heard before, with previous leaks suggesting the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro colors will include black, white, rose, and gray, while the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 colors will include black, green, pink, blue, and white. There's a small chance that we'll see yellow and purple shades offered, too. For the most part, though, these colors are similar to what you'll find on the iPhone 15 line, so it's not the most exciting selection. Finally, Gurman notes that the iPhone 16 line will have a new A18 chipset. He doesn't say whether every model will use that chipset, though, and we've heard elsewhere that the Pro models might use an A18 Pro instead. Still, even if the base models only get a standard A18 (or even last year's A17 Pro) that would make for a power upgrade for all four models. All four phones will reportedly have 8GB of RAM, too, as this capacity is supposedly required for Apple Intelligence to function. That would be a 2GB upgrade for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but no change for the Pro models. More power is always appreciated, but the current iPhones are already highly capable devices, and other than their respective AI smarts, you might struggle to tell much difference in the performance of these upcoming phones. With all that in mind, Gurman could have a point in saying that this year's iPhones might not drive record sales numbers. But next year could be a bigger one for the company, with both the iPhone SE 4 and the iPhone 17 Air reportedly planned. Still, if you're currently rocking an iPhone that's a few years old, or in less-than-ideal condition, then a model in the iPhone 16 line could well be worth buying.

iPhone 16 report reveals 5 biggest upgrades to expect

Apple intelligence, the return of rose gold, and more rumored upgrades The iPhone 16's release is just over the horizon, but that's not stopping the leaks and rumors from continuing to pour in. The latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests Apple plans a modest upgrade for this generation, but he did highlight a few interesting changes we're excited to see. Of course, the biggest selling point is that all four iPhone 16 models will run Apple Intelligence, the tech giant's take on on-device generative AI that was revealed at WWDC 2024. Similar to Microsoft Copilot in Windows, it can access your calendar, Mail, and other data stored on your Apple devices to perform tasks like rewriting and generating text, adding generative images, cleaning up distracting objects in the background of your photos, and other features. "All the iPhone 16 models will run Apple Intelligence, but it will also work with the iPhone 15 Pro versions," Gurman said. "It's hard to tell how much of an enticement this will be. As I said last week, I don't think these features alone will be reason to upgrade." To be able to run Apple Intelligence smoothly, all four models are getting upgraded silicon (the A18 chip) and will come with 8 GB of memory as well. As previously rumored, the action button, previously an iPhone 15 Pro exclusive, is making its way to all four iPhone 16 models this time around. This handy little button, which sits on the left side of the iPhone 15 Pro and is likely to be situated the same on the iPhone 16, uses haptic feedback to let you know when it's been long pressed. A short press lets you quickly check the ringer status (on or muted) while a long press can be programmed to perform all sorts of functions. That being said, since iOS 18 is also tipped to roll out a more customizable Control Center and changeable Lock Screen options, that may make the Action Button less useful for those kinds of shortcuts. The upcoming generation of high-end iPhones will sport a new camera control on the right side of the phone that also uses haptic feedback. A short press triggers the autofocus function, similar to how it works on a DSLR camera, while a long press takes the picture and swiping along the button zooms the focus in and out. Best of all it works whether you're shooting photos or capturing video. That's not the only upgrade exclusive to the Pro models. Gurman echoed previous rumors that Apple is bumping up the display sizes for its high-end iPhones, from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches on the iPhone 16 Pro and from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Finally, the color options are expected to get the usual refresh. So far there are four rumored colors for the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, three of which are black, white, and grey, but the fourth color has been the subject of debate. Gurman said we can expect to see the blue color offered with the iPhone 15 Pro to be replaced by rose gold, an iPhone color option that was popular a few years back. Other leakers have suggested we could get a cement gray and desert yellow mix, so I for one am happy to see the return of one of my favorite colors instead. All of this should be taken with a grain of salt for now, as we won't get the official word from Apple until sometime next month. In the meantime, be sure to check out our iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max hubs for all the latest news and rumors.

Apple's iPhone 16 May Not 'Fuel A Gold Rush Of Purchases' But Next Iteration Will Likely Return Flagship Product To Meaningful Growth, Says Gurman - Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

He doesn't think modest increments alone will be reason to upgrade. Apple, Inc. AAPL fans can't expect a radical redesign with the iPhone 16, which is scheduled to arrive in the fall, said Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman on Sunday. Run-Of-The-Mill: The iPhone will have four variants, likely to be called the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, Pro and Pro Max. and more importantly they won't have meaningful differentiation from the current versions or add major new features, said Gurman in the latest instalment of his weekly "Power On" newsletter. Apple Intelligence - the company's new suite of AI capabilities, will be the big marketing point, the columnist said. While all iPhone 16 models will run Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 15 Pro variant of the previous iteration will come with the technology, he said. "It's hard to tell how much of an enticement this will be. ... I don't think these features alone will be reason to upgrade," he added. Among the other changes, Gurman noted that the non-Pro versions of the iPhone 15 will have the Action button, which was made available in the higher-end versions of the iPhone 15. That said, the Apple specialist expects this button becoming redundant when the company rolls out a more customizable Control Center and changeable Lock Screen options in iOS 18. Gurman flagged the likelihood of a new camera control on the right side of the phone, at least in the new Pros. This will operate like a button on a DSLR camera, allowing users to press in slightly to trigger autofocus, he said, adding that a harder press will take the picture. A user can also swipe along the button to zoom in and out while shooting photos and videos, Gurman said. He also sees the possibility of slightly bigger screens, with the regular Pro moving to from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, Pro Max from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. As is customary of Apple, it will refresh the colors, with the blue likely replaced and the popular rose gold from a few years ago returning, Gurman said. The iPhone 16 will be powered by the A18 chip and all the four models will have 8 gigabytes of memory as that is the minimum needed for running Apple Intelligence, he added. See Also: Everything You Need To Know About Apple Stock Will New iPhones Drive Adoption? Gurman said all these are nice upgrades if you have an older phone but does not make the newer versions "must-haves." "I don't expect the new models to fuel a gold rush of purchases for Apple," he said, adding that the company's financial guidance suggest the company doesn't either. Better Times Ahead: Apple will likely bring a bigger shake-up to the iPhone lineup in 2025, Gurman said. He expects the company to launch a new iPhone SE at the start of 2025, marking the first upgrade to the SE variant since 2022. The Apple specialist sees the new SE variant resembling the iPhone 14 with a "crisper OLED display that stretches across the full device" and potentially coming with the Apple Intelligence. If the new iPhone SE's price is lowered to $500, it could be a hot seller, Gurman said. Apple's flagship product will get radically different with the iPhone 17, according to Gurman. "But the more important changes will appear next September with the iPhone 17," he said. The company will likely offer a new type of smartphone, Gurman said, referring to it as the "fourth iPhone model." The approach toward the fourth model this time around will be to have a far thinner design, something like an "Air" version of the iPhone of sorts that sits in between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, he said. "The sales pitch will probably go like this: If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhone -- but don't really need the performance, screen size or cameras of a Pro model -- you can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone," he added. The new SE and a slim model will be "good enough" to return the iPhone to meaningful growth in 2025, Gurman said. Apple ended Friday's session up 1.37% at $216.24, according to Benzinga Pro data. The stock has gained 12.6% so far this year. Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: 'Warren Crushed Apple' Says Jim Cramer As Buffett Cuts Stake In Tech Giant By Nearly Half: Here's How Much Dividend Income Berkshire Forgoes Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs